Pig Won't Goes to Preschool

We have an awful book. We got it as a hand-me-down from the boys' cousin. It's called The Best Babysitter by Richard Scarry. Yes, one of the Busy Town books. Here's my problem with the book: it's about twins. One is good, one is evil. Their names are Pig Will and Pig Won't. Didn't anyone tell their parents about children living up to the expectations that are set for them?

I hate the "one good/one evil" twin stereotypes. I mean, you would think most people would realize that with twins, there isn't really one good and one evil twin. Well, unless you're Spock. But that Star Trek universe is jacked anyway. But still, I've been asked three times which one of my twins is the "good" one and which is the "bad" one. It's a reasonably common comment parents of twins hear.

Let me tell you now: neither is pure evil. Neither is pure good. They both just are. Just like every other kid. Having twins doesn't dilute all the positive attributes into one child and all the negative attributes into the other.

Well, unless you're Pig Will and Pig Won't. I hate this book. So of course the boys love it and always want to read it. And they've distilled the basic message of the book into this annoying habit: when they don't want to do something, they shout "I'm Pig Won't!" Ugh. We're in the middle of the grocery store and B-man won't get into the cart and he yells, "No, I'm Pig Won't". I say it's time to leave the library and N-man doesn't want to go so he says, "I won't leave. I'm Pig Won't."

Have I mentioned that I hate this book? What must people be thinking? That I call my boys pigs? I don't. They came up with this all on their own, with a little help from the stereotypes perpetuated by Richard Scarry.

Well, B-man has been very nervous about preschool. Whenever we talk about it, he says, "I won't go. I'm Pig Won't." I've been a little nervous about how this was going to play out. I've been having nightmares about having to peel a shrieking child off my leg every morning for the next two years.

So yesterday was the preschool orientation. They opened up the preschool for an hour so parents could come with the kids and meet the teachers and play in the room. B-man was *not* looking forward to it, but we got him there. He walked into the room, hesitantly looked around, saw some fun toys, and off he went.

At the end of the hour, I asked how he liked preschool. He answered, "I'm Pig Will now."

Whew. That's a relief. And maybe I don't totally hate that book. Let's just hope Pig Will sticks around for tomorrow, the first official day of preschool!